Book reveals five centuries of trials and tribulations

A BUSINESSMAN got so carried away researching his family tree that he has now released a book tracing his relatives back more than 500 years.

Frank Ball runs a local printing firm but has spent months looking into his ancestry and this week released Pirates in the Cupboard.

The book charts not just his own family, but also the social history of the Old Town and its fishermen.

Mr Ball, who lives in Fairlight, explained: “My dear dad Nelson K Ball had a hard life and died young.

“I thought I would put together a family tree to honour his memory, but the more I learned about each generation – their lives, their activities, and the history around them – the more interesting and intriguing things got.

“In the book I have left out more than I have included, otherwise it would never have been finished.

“However, I hope I have got across something of the unique nature of Hastings and its inhabitants.”

Copies of the hardback book are available now from the Tourist Information Centre in Priory Meadow, priced £25.